Method of and machine for making fabrics

ABSTRACT

Fabrics comprising a substrate, a multiplicity of spaced-apart design elements laid on the substrate along non-linear paths in the generally warpwise direction, and knit-stitching composed of parallel rows of stitches forming a series of loop chains are made on a stitch-through type machine equipped with a mechanism for feeding the design yarns to the stitch-forming part of the machine. The design element delivery mechanism includes at least one guide bar positioned substantially parallel to the row of stitch-forming elements and driven back and fourth transversely to the warp direction so that the design elements are guided back and forth past a multiplicity of the needles that form the loop chains. The design elements are bound to the substrate at some points by being pierced by the stitching thread and at other points by being embraced between the loops and laps of the stitching, the piercing or embracing being at random.

United States Patent Simpson [451 July 18, 1972 (54] METHOD OF AND MACHINE FOR FOREIGN PATENTS R APPLICATIONS MAKING FABRICS 897,604 I944 France.... ..66/85 A [72] Inventor: Ekworth C. Simpson, Glens Falls, NY. 1.467.733 12/1966 France-m A 30,447 5 1966 G ..66 85 A [73] Assignee: Polylolt Corporation, Glen Falls, NY. I ermany 22 Ffl d; Feb 2 970 Primary Examiner-Wm. Carter Reynolds [21 l A l N 13 738 Attorney-Brumbaugh. Graves, Donohue and Raymond name us. Application um ABS 1 Fabrics comprising a substrate, a multiplicity of spaced-apart g g fi y z i 2: g g ggg rjg design elements laid on the substrate along non-linear paths in the generally warpwise direction, and knit-stitching composed 52 J U 5 Cl 66/84 of parallel rows of stitches forming a series of loop chains are 5 l I /26 made on a stitch-through type machine equipped with a [58] Fieid 66/84 85 5 A 86 I93 mechanism for feeding the design yarns to the stitch-forming part of the machine. The design element delivery mechanism includes at least one guide bar positioned substantially parallel [56] Rdmnm CM to the row of stitch-forming elements and driven back and UNITED STATES PATENTS fourth transversely to the warp direction so that the design elements are guided back and forth past a multiplicity of the nee- 2,605,625 8/ l 952 Grant ..66/84 dles that f the |oop chains The design elements are bound 3 7/ wllllnlhamm "66/35 A to the substrate at some points by being pierced by the 660,053 10/1900 Drew ..66/8$ R Stitching thread and at other points by being embraced g fig g between the loops and laps ofthe stitching, the piercing or ema u at bracin bein at random 2,957,326 10/1960 Porter .66/86 R g 8 3,030,786 4/1962 Mauersberger ..66/84 Chin's, 14 Drawing Figures '|l r.f- F 53 36 34 4 40 ii i -42 94 w a ml 71 9b 8b 84 g E 84 44 44 2e 79 I 78 O mnnmwu 8:972 3.677.034

sum 1 or 7 I N\ 'ENTOR ELSWORTH C SIMPSON y his ATVORNEYS PATENIEB JUU8I972 3.677 034 swan 2 BF 7 PATENTED JULI8|9n 3 577 034 SHEET 3 OF 7 m u smns 77.034 PATENTED JULIB m2 3 5 sum 0F METHOD OF AND MACHINE FOR MAKING FABRICS This applications is a continuation-in-part of copending applications Ser. No. 639,836, filed May I9, 1967, entitled Fabric, and Ser. No. 756,001, filed Aug. 28, 1968, now abandoned, entitled "Machine for Making Textiles."

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to novel and improved fabrics made on so-called stitch-through or knit-stitching machines, to a method of making the fabrics, and to an improvement in a knit-stitching machine which provides for greater flexibility of fabric design by affording the delivery of generally non-linear, warpwise design elements along desired non-linear paths to the stitch-forming part of a knit-stitching machine.

A relatively recent development in the textile industry is the stitch-through or knit-stitched form of fabric construction in which various textile elements are united into a fabric by parallel rows of stitches forming a series of loop chains. One form of machine for making knit-stitched textiles is the Malimo" machine, which is described and shown in Mauersberger U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,890,579 and 3,030,786. The Malimo machine has a row of stitch-forming elements for making either individual warpwise loop chains or interconnected warpwise loop chains in the nature of a half tricot knit. The stitch-forming elements are capable of stitching through layers of yarns or webs passed through the stitching elements to form an integrated fabric composed of layers of warp elements, filling elements, or webs of various materials bound together by the knit-stitching. The operating speeds, in tenns of rate of fabric output, of the Malimo and similar types of knit-stitching machines are several times that of any knitting or weaving machines previously known in the industry, and accordingly Malimo fabrics offer the important advantage of lower cost than woven or knitted fabrics.

Until recently, fabrics made on stitch-through machines have lacked the design flexibility needed to meet the demands of various segments of the fabric market. The ability to introduce design features has generally been limited to varying the spacing of the warp elements, filling elements, or both, so as to obtain various open mesh efiects, and the usual variations in color arrangements.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION There is provided, in accordance with the present invention, a novel and improved form of fabric made on a stitch-through machine. The fabric incorporates spaced-apart design elements extending in the generally warpwise direction along non-linear paths which are affixed to a flexible substrate by knit-stitching. Fabrics according to the present invention provide a basic Malimo fabric with a considerably greater degree of flexibility in design variations than were obtainable with other fabrics, not only the Malimo type but also woven and knitted fabrics. The design elements may curve back and forth, zig-zag back and forth along generally straight lines, or cross each other while following non-linear paths. Fabrics according to the present invention make possible a further design tool for the fabric designer and provide an increased degree of stability to the Malimo fabric which, when combined with variations of color, material, and other aspects of the basic fabric construction, provide for more diverse designs and open up new areas of use for Malimo fabric, especially where design limitations have heretofore somewhat restricted the possibilities.

There is further provided, in accordance with the invention, a method of manufacturing the fabric, and an improvement in knit-stitching machines, such as the Malimo machines described and shown in the Mauersberger patents identified above, for accomplishing the method. A machine according to the invention comprises a plurality of stitch-forming elements arranged in a row and adapted to form a series of warpwise, parallel loop chains for interlacing and binding together into a composite fabric structure substrate layers of textile materials, such as warp yarns, filling yams, or both warp and filling yarns, sheets of various materials, and so forth which are delivered to the stitch-forming part of the machine to an elongated space for fabric formation defined between a comb-like sinker bar and a comb-like retainer pin bar. A mechanism is provided, including at least one guide bar extending substantially parallel to the row of stitch-forming elements, for guiding a plurality of non-linear warpwise design yarns to the space for fabric formation. The guide bar is moved back and forth substantially parallel to the row of stitch-forming elements to draw the design yarns back and forth through the space past several rows of the stitch-forming elements so that as the fabric is progressively formed, the design yarns are incorporated along the non-linear paths. Desirably, the back and forth movement is effected by a cam mechanism including a cam of appropriate shape to provide a desired design pattern and operating on a lever linkage to the guide bar.

In a preferred embodiment of the machine, the yarn guide bar is located relatively remote from the stitch-forming part of the machine so that a relatively large space exists between the bar and the stitch-forming elements. This arrangement makes it possible to employ a plurality of guide bars, each of which may be operated independently to afford further flexibility in the design by pemiitting each of a number of groups of design yarns to be laid-in in patterns differing from the patterns of other groups.

Location of the guide bars remote from the stitch-forming elements makes possible the use of several guide bars even though the space available in the stitch-forming part is relatively limited. However, the location of the guide bars remote from the stitch-forming part of the machine limits the degree of control over the yarn as it is laid in so that there is a tendency to obtain a relatively random design rather than a regular and precise design. Accordingly, the machine according to the present invention further comprises guide elements in the form of tubes extending from the guide bar to a location quite close to the row of stitch-forming elements. Thus, the ultimate guide point for each yarn is located close to the stitch-formin g elements so that regular and precise patterns can be obtained.

It is also contemplated, on the other hand, that very attractive and desirable effects can be obtained in fabrics according to the present invention by design patterns which, although they are regular overall, are characterized by random variations due to the lack of control over the paths taken by the design elements once they leave the relatively remotely located guide bars. Thus, another embodiment of the machine according to the present invention comprises guide bars located relatively remote from the row of stitch-fonning elements in which the guide elements for the design yarns are formed by holes in the guide bars through which the individual design yarns pass and from which they lead directly to the stitch-forming mechanism. A preferred form of guide bar of this embodiment comprises a longitudinally extending slot in the guide bar and removable elements installed in any of a multiplicity of selected positions and extending across the slot to define restricted openings. For example, small spacer rings held in place in the slot by screws may be used to form openings for the design yarn at any desired locations along the length of the guide bar. Interesting effects are obtained by varying the sizes of the openings, larger openings providing somewhat random and uncontrolled movement of the yarns in the guide openings.

The design yarn lay-in mechanism, according to the invention, may be installed on existing knit-stitching machines at relatively low cost and, as discussed above, opens up a whole new area of design possibilities by reason of the greater versatility and flexibility of yarn patterns. When coupled with the inherent advantage of high speed and relatively low cost per unit of production, the improved versatility and flexibility afforded by the machine according to the present invention constitutes a significant contribution to the textile industry.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS For a better understanding of the invention, reference may be made to the following description of exemplary embodiments, taken in conjunction with the figures of the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. I is a plan view of an exemplary fabric having design elements arranged in a diamond-shaped pattern;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of a portion of the fabric of FIG. 1 showing the relationship between the elements thereof;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of a second embodiment of the fabric of the invention;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of a portion of the fabric of FIG. 3 showing the relationship between the elements thereof;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of a third embodiment of the fabric of the invention;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged view of a portion of the fabric of FIG. 5 showing the relationship between the elements thereof;

FIG. 7 is a plan view of a fourth embodiment of the fabric of the invention;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged view of a portion of the fabric of FIG. 6 showing the relationship between the elements thereof;

FIG. 9 is a side view of a part of an exemplary knit-stitching machine incorporating the warp lay-in mechanism, the view being taken just inside the near side frame of a machine;

FIG. [0 is an end view, i.e., a view taken transversely, of the machine of FIG. 1, the stitch-forming elements of the machine, however, being omitted for greater clarity of illustratlon;

FIG. II is a side elevational view, to larger scale of the form of guide bar used in the machine of FIGS. I and 2;

FIG. I2 is a top view of the guide bar of FIG. 11',

FIG. I3 is a side elevational view of another form of guide bar that is adapted for use with the machine of FIGS. 1 and 2', and

FIG. I4 is a top view of the guide bar of FIG. 13.

In each of the FIGS. 9 to 14, portions of the machine are broken out and elements are omitted to eliminate undue duplication and complication of the illustrations.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS In the description of the fabric, the corresponding elements as shown in each of FIGS. 1 to 8 of the drawings are given the same reference numerals, and a letter sulfur is added to designate specific elements when necessary.

With reference to the typical embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the design elements 2a are laid on a layer of spaced apart filling elements 4 to provide a fabric, the filling constituting a flexible substrate in the composite fabric of substrate, stitching and design elements. The design elements and the filling elements are secured in their relative positions by means of knitting threads 6 which form parallel rows of warpwise loop chains 8 and diagonally extending portions 7 which cross between adjacent loop chains. Each pair of adjacent loop chains shares two knitting elements, alternate loops of each chain being parts of a first element and the remaining loops being from a second element, in the form ofa half tricot stitch. The filling yarns are engaged and held on one side of the fabric by the loops of the loop chains and on the other side by the diagonal parts of the knitting elements. The knitting threads lock the various components in position relative to one another to form a composite fabric.

In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the design elements 20 have been laid or delivered along nonlinear paths which are saw-tooth shaped. The apexes of adjacent saw-tooth paths are alternatively contiguous to each other and spaced from each other resulting in a diamond pattern over the entire fabric. This diamond effect may be ewily obtained by utilizing at least two design element carrying units, such as provided for a machine constructed according to the invention as hereinafter described, which continuously move back and forth in the filling direction. If preferred, however, all of the saw-tooth shaped paths may be laid parallel to each other to create a design without the diamond effect. The saw-tooth pattern, and the patterns hereinafier described, for the design element 20 is only illustrative, it being clear to a person skilled in the art that the design elements may follow any non-linear path in the warp direction.

Other embodiments of the fabric may be prepared according to this invention. In one alternate embodiment, design elements 24 may be laid on a substrate of warp elements instead of the filling elements 4 with no filling used. The structure is held together by application of knitting threads in the form of a half tricot stitch. In another embodiment, the structures shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 contain knitting thread in the form of chain stitch or a full tricot stitch and design elements only, both with and without filling elements or other substrates.

In the embodiment of the fabric shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, design elements 2b are laid on a substrate in the form of a layer of filling elements 4 and a layer of warp elements ll laid on top of the filling. As in FIG. 1, the design elements 2b have been laid along saw-tooth paths, but the paths of the design elements 2b of the fabric shown in FIG. 3 are parallel to each other. The knitting threads 6 connect and lock the warp II relative to the design elements 2b and the layer of filling elements 4 by the series of loop chains 8.

In the embodiment of the fabric shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the design elements 2c are laid on a flexible continuous substrate is, in particular a woven fabric in the warp direction, along parallel saw-tooth or zig-zag paths, but they are laid on only near the border of the fabric. Alternatively, the design elements 2c may be laid on the fabric along saw-tooth paths which are not parallel to each other to provide a diamond effect near the borders. When used in conjunction with a flexible substrate 15, the design elements need not be restricted to the borders, but when they are so restricted, as shown in FIG. 5, the design renders the fabric particularly suitable for use as a tablecloth. The embodiment shown in FIG. 5 may also be modified by laying a warp of spaced-apart filaments on the flexible substrate beneath the design elements to provide a cord-like effect. Still another modification may be made by laying down warp elements on the portion of the flexible substrate which is not beneath the design elements prior to application of the knitting threads.

The flexible substrate 15 in the embodiment of FIGS. 5 and 6 is a woven fabric and in the other embodiments is a layer of warp and/or filling elements. Alternatively, the flexible substrate 15 may be a knitted fabric, a sheet of elastomeric foam of the type disclosed in the Duhl patents, US Pat. Nos. 3,274,805 and 3,274,806, a fibrous batting, a paper sheet, or a plastic sheet. Where sheet material is used, it need only be of sufficient strength that it can withstand the piercing by needles required to apply the knitting thread and at the same time maintain its continuous nature.

FIGS. 7 and 8 show an embodiment of the fabric wherein the design elements 2d have been laid on a substrate in the form of a layer of filling elements 4, along sinusoidal-shaped paths which cross each other at a plurality of positions. A pleasing effect results when each of the design elements 2d are made from a yarn which is alternately dyed to a plurality of colors along its length.

An exemplary embodiment of a machine for manufacturing the fabric according to the invention is shown in FIGS. 9 to 14. A mechanism for delivering the design elements, indicated in FIGS. 1 to 8 by reference numeral 2, along non-linear paths is constructed in a manner permitting it to be installed on an existing Malimo machine of the type described and shown in the Mauersberger patents identified above and commercially available in the United States. The basic Malimo machine, as illustrated in FIGS. 9 and 10, comprises, inter alia, a generally T-shaped transverse frame member 10 located above stitchforrning elements 12 which are arranged in a straight row extending transversely between end frames of the machine. The frame member 10 carries a comb-like sinker bar M, which is a part of the stitch-forming mechanism. The stitch-forming mechanism of the machine further comprises, for each end of stitching thread, a sharp-pointed needle 16 having a hook at its free end, a wire or strip slide 18 coacting with the needle I6, an eye needle or guide 20 which is supplied with stitching yarn 22 in a generally circular path around the needle so that the thread catches on the needle, whereupon the needle is retracted rearwardly to draw the yarn through a previously formed loop then held on the shank of the needle. Appropriate drive mechanisms on the machine accomplish the movement of the stitch-forming parts to form the chainstitching. The Malimo machine also includes a mechanism (not shown) for laying in a crisscrossing array of filling yarns, represented in the drawings by the line 25, the mechanism including a guide roll 26. The filling 25 and/or one or more other substrates are delivered to the space between the sinker bar 14 and the retaining pin bar 24 for formation by the stitching into a composite fabric structure.

The Malimo machine and its method of operation are described in detail in the two Mauersberger patents identified above, and reference may be made to them for more complete understanding of the stitch-forming elements, the drive mechanisms, and the mechanism for delivering filling yarns.

The Malimo machine has an upper transverse frame member and longitudinal side frame members 32 located in a plane somewhat above the stitch-forming part 12 and the filling lay-in apparatus. The mechanism, according to the invention, for laying in or delivering the design elements is appropriately installed on the existing frame pieces 30 and 32. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, there is a bracket assembly 34 which includes an angle member 36 directly bolted to a flange of the frame 30, a support plate 38 joined, such as by welding, to the angle member 36 and a pair of spaced-apart mounting flanges 40 extending downwardly from the plate 38. A transverse shaft 42 constituting a pivot axis oriented substantially perpendicular to the row of knitting or stitch-forming elements 12 and carrying operating levers 44 associated, respectively, with guide bar assemblies 46, 48, 50 and 52 is journaled in the mounting flanges 40.

Although there are minor differences between the location and specific dimensions and geometries of the several guide bar assemblies 46, 48, 50 and 52, as may be readily observed in the drawings, the several guide bar assemblies are fundamentally the same, and accordingly only one guide bar assembly need be described in detail as exemplary of all of them. In particular, referring to FIG. ll, each guide bar assembly includes an elongated bar or rod element 54 which, as shown in FIG. I0, extends over the major portion of the traverse width of the machine. Extending up from the top edge of the bar adjacent one end is a coupling pin 56. Beginning some distance inwardly from each end of the bar and extending over the major part of the central portion of the bar 54 is a cut-out portion 58 formed with uniformly spaced semi-circular vertical grooves 60. The cut-out portion 58 receives a clamping bar 62 formed with matching semi-circular grooves 64 so as to define a series of circular holes 65 uniformly spaced along the center portion of the bar 54. Each hole 65 in the bar assembly receives a yarn guide tube 66, the whole series of tubes 66 being clamped in place between the main bar element 54 and the clamping bar 62 by screwing the clamping bar to the main bar by screws 68. Each guide tube desirably has a retainer flange 660 having a rounded inner edge surrounding the bore of the tube to provide a smooth guiding surface for design yarns 67 fed to the guide tubes.

Referring again to FIGS. 9 and 10, the guide tubes 66 of the four guide assemblies 46, 48, 50 and 52 extend from the bars, which are located relatively remote from the stitch-forming part 12 of the machine, along an appropriately curved path so that design yarns, which are guided through the tube bores, leave the tubes relatively close to the stitch-forming elements 12. It is preferable to provide a retainer bar 70 for each row of guide tubes to provide additional rigidity for the tubes to ensure that they will not be readily bent out of proper position.

Each of the guide bar assemblies 46, 48, 50 and S2 is coupled to one of the levers 44 by a pivot connection. In particu- Ian, each of the levers includes a bifurcated lower end 72 which receives a coupling piece 74 pivotably mounted by a pivot pin 76. A vertical hole in the coupling element 74 slidably receives the upwardly extending coupling rod 56 on the guide bar.

The guide bar assemblies are mounted for sliding movement along an axis parallel to the row of stitch-forming elements by means of slotted guide pieces 78 fastened to the T-shaped frame member [0 of the machine. The guide pieces 78 are located on points somewhat outside of the part of the guide bar which carries the guide tubes and sufficiently inwardly of the operating lever coupling to afford a desired maximum amplitude of reciprocating movement of the guide assemblies. Each bar guide piece 78 has a slot 79 for each guide bar, and the upper ends of the slots 79 are closed by a plate 80 fastened to the body of the guide piece 78, thus closing the slots and permitting only longitudinal sliding movement of the several guide bars.

Each of the guide amemblies 46, 48, 50 and 52 is arranged to be moved back and forth by a cam drive mechanism 82 composed of a cam disc 84 amociated with each operating lever 44 and a cam follower roller 86 carried by each operating lever. The cam discs 84 are mounted on a common shaft 88 journal in mounting arms 90 appropriately bracketed from the main machine frame, and the shaft in turn, is driven by a chain drive train 92 powered by the main machine drive. In particular, a main drive chain 94 driven from a spocket 96 secured to a rotatable driven shaft of the Malimo machine drives a reducer gear 100, which in turn drives a chain 96 associated with an output spocket 98 on the gear box [00.

It will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that various shapes of cam discs can be employed to provide any desired form of back and forth movement of each of the several guide bars, and moreover, that each of the guide bars may be driven independently by a cam of unique shape or phase of operation differing from the others. FIG. 10 shows a simple circular eccentric cam disc 84 having a radially disposed slot 84a which provides for adjustment to vary the amplitude of longitudinal movement of the associated guide assembly. Each cam disc 84 is clamped between nuts 84b which can be loosened to permit adjustment of the cam to a desired position and then retightened to clamp it in place. A further element of the operating mechanism for reciprocating the guide assemblies back and forth is an approrpiate springloading arrangement for retaining the cam follower roller 86 of each lever in engagement with the cam so that it will follow the cam. For example, each guide bar may have a spring [02 installed between a fixed supporting pin 104 mounted on a fixed part of the machine and a pin 106 mounted on the guide bar.

In operation, the cams rotate at a speed selected to provide a desired rate of back and forth movement of the respective guide bars. To this end, the drive train for the cams may have a variable speed controller, such as a Reeves drive ,for varying the cam speed. Each cam 84 is set to provide a desired amplitude of back and forth movement, and as mentioned above, each cam 84 associated with the respective guide assembly may have a shape appropriate to provide a desired pattern as established by the instantaneous rate of change of back and forth movement at any point during such back and forth movement. With the eccentric form of cam shown, the guide assembly will move back and forth in a manner such that the design yarns guided by it will follow a sine wave path relative to the fabric being formed. In this regard, it will be understood that the take-up of the machine is constantly pulling the material from the knitting assembly, and the design yarns are continuously being pulled through the stitch-forming elements and are being incorporated into the fabric by the loop-chain stitching. Thus, as each loop of stitching is formed in the multiplicity of parallel chains, the design yarns are being pulled transversely back and forth through the space for formation of fabric defined by the sinker bar and the retaining pin bar and past several needles. By varying the speed of back and forth movement of the design element guide bars, the angles which are formed between the design yarns at any point and the warp direction of the fabric can be varied. The extent of back and forth movement determines the dimension in the filling direction occupied by any given design element delivered by the design element delivery mechanism.

It should be apparent, then, that by varying the form of cam and its rate of rotation, the same mechanism may be used to form an infinite number of desired patterns. Moreover, it can be noted once again that each cam may, although it is driven from the same source, provide movement of the design yarn guide associated with it independently of and different from the movement of any of the other yarn guide assemblies. For example, two yarn guide assemblies may be operated in opposed phase so that a regular crisscrossing or diamond pattern is obtained. Or one cam may cover an amplitude of movement substantially greater than another guide to provide divergent and convergent effects between different yarns forming the design pattern. If desired, one or more guides may be deac tivatcd and held in a stationary position against transverse movement so that true linear warp may be fed into the stitchforming part of the machine. Finally, it is important to note that in many instances, if not in most instances, of use of the mechanism, only part of the design element delivery capacity of the machine will be used. In other words, only some of the yarn guide tubes will receive and guide a design yarn while others will be inactive. By using only part of the design yarn capacity of the machine, an open mesh design effect may be obtained.

The above-described embodiment of the mechanism, namely an embodiment incorporating guide tubes on the several guide assemblies for moving the ultimate guiding point to a position close to the stitch-forming parts, provides good control over the pattern yarns so that they are laid in a uniform and regular pattern with relatively little variation as the fabric is formed. However, FIGS. 13 and 14 show an alternate form of guide bars which can readily be substituted in the apparatus of FIGS. 9 and 10 for the tube guide form of guide bar. In particular, a modified guide bar 200 is constituted by an end member 202 having an upwardly extending coupling pin 204, a pair of elongated strips 206 and 208 extending over the major portion of the length of the bar, and a spacer element 210 positioned adjacent the opposite end of the bar from the end element 202. The two strips 206 and 208 are attached at one end to a flange portion 202a on the end element 202 and are held in similarly spaced relation from each other at the opposite end by the spacer piece 210, thereby defining an elongated slot 2l2 extending over the major center portion of the bar. One of the bar elements 208 is formed with tapped holes to receive the head ends of machine screws 21] and the other bar 206 is formed with threaded holes to receive the threaded ends of the machine screws 214. Preferably, the holes are spaced at regular intervals uniformly along the slotted portion of the bar assembly.

In the embodiment of the guide bar of the form of FIGS. 13 and [4, the guide formations are constituted by guide openings through the bar formed by installing small spacer tubes 216 in the bar slot by means of the screws 214. The holes defined between two adjacent spacers 216 constitute the guide formations on the bar, and each bar in the machine is made up of guide holes at prescribed locations to form a desired pattern. Only those guide holes which are desired for a given run of fabric need be installed, although it is also contemplated that all of the tubes might be initially installed so as to define a regular pattern of uniformly spaced guide holes on the guide assembly ready for use by simply feeding in yarn to the desired ones.

The guide bar assembly of FlGS. l3 and 14 is installed on the machine in the same manner as the embodiment of FIGS. ll and 12, namely by locating them in the guides 78 and in stalling the pins 204 in the receiving holes on the pivot elements 74 associated with the operating levers 44. The operation of the guide bar is substantially the same as the version of FIGS. 11 and 12. However, because the guide points at which each yarn leaves the guide bar is located at a fairly substantial distance from the point of joinder of the yarn into the fabric, there is a degree of lack of control over the pattern followed by the yarns, and there is a tendency for the yarns to take a more random pattern than with the embodiment of FIGS. ll and 12. However, highly desirable and attractive pattern effects are obtained with the use of the guide bar assemblies of FIGS. 13 and 14. Of course, the forms of guides of FIGS. 13 and 14 do provide an overall pattern, and the main distinction from the tube form is one of the degree to which the pattern is precisely followed and repeated.

Thus, there is provided, in accordance with the invention, a novel and improved mechanism for providing knit-stitched fabrics according to the invention of widely variable designs, such design flexibility resulting from feeding in generally warpwise non-linear design elements in patterns of infinite variety as to shapes, sizes and densities. Accordingly, the Malimo machine is provided with a whole new area of versatility as to the fabric design, and new areas of uses for Malimo fabrics are opened up.

The embodiments of the invention described above are intended to be merely exemplary, and those skilled in the art will be able to make numerous variations and modifications of them without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. All such modifications and variations are intended to be included in the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A method of making fabric on a stitch-through machine of the type having a comb-like sinker bar, a comb-like retainer pin bar, the sinker bar and the retainer pin bar defining an elongated space for fabric formation between them, a row of sharp-pointed needles and a row of thread guides co-acting with the needles for forming a plurality of warpwise loop chains, the needles being movable in reciprocating motion through said space, comprising the steps of: delivering a flexible substrate to said space for fabric formation, delivering conjointly with and in adjacent relation to the substrate a multiplicity of spaced-apart design elements to said space for fabric formation, guiding the design elements back and forth substantially parallel to the row of needles to cause each design element to move within said space back and forth past a plurality of the needles, and forming a plurality of loop chains to unite the substrate and design elements into a composite fabric in which the loop chains pierce the substrate and the design elements at a substantial number of random points.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein the design ele ments are guided back and forth in reciprocating motion at constant velocity, thereby forming a pattern of design elements on the fabric in which substantial lengths of each design element extend diagonally, relative to the warp direction, along straight lines.

3, The method according to claim 1 wherein the design elements are guided back and forth in reciprocating motion at a varying velocity, thereby forming a pattern of design elements on the fabric in which portions of the design elements-of sub stantial length curve sub-stantially unifonnly back and forth.

4. The method according to claim 1 wherein two groups of design elements are delivered and guided back and forth inde pendently of each other into the space for fabric formation.

5. The method according to claim 4 wherein one group of design elements is guided back and forth in opposed and phased relation to the other group of design elements.

6. A machine for making textiles of the stitch-through type comprising a comb-like sinker bar, a comb-like retainer pen bar, each of said bars having teeth and spaces between the teeth, and the sinker bar and the retainer pin bar defining an elongated space for fabric formation between them, means for delivering a flexible substrate to said space for fabric formation, one row only of sharp-pointed needles and a row of thread guides co-acting with the needles for stitching a plurality of warp-wise loop chains, the needles being positioned and mounted for reciprocating motion axially thereof back and forth transversely through said space for fabric formation to pierce through the substrate and a plurality of generally warpwise design elements as such substrate and elements are conducted through said space, the needles passing through the spaces between the teeth of the sinker bar and retainer bar upon such reciprocating motion, and a design element delivery mechanism for feeding conjointly with and in adjacent relation to the substrate said plurality of generally warpwise design elements to said space to be united by the loop chains with the substrate, the delivery mechanism including at least one yarn guide bar podtioned substantially parallel to the row of needles and having guide means thereon for guiding the design elements to said space for fabric formation, and means for controllably moving the guide bar back and forth substantially parallel to the row of needles to cause the design elements to move within said space for fabric formation back and forth past a plurality of the needles.

7. The machine according to claim 6, wherein the delivery mechanism is positioned to deliver the design elements to the space for fabric formation between the substrate and the retainer pin bar.

8. The machine according to claim 6, wherein the guide means includes guide tubes carried by the guide bar, the guide bar being remote from the needles and the guide tubes extending from the guide bar to locations in proximity to the space for fabric formation.

9. The machine according to claim 6, wherein the guide means are guide holes extending through the guide bar.

10. The machine according to claim 7, wherein the guide bar includes a longitudinally extending slot, and the guide holes are defined by removable elements transecting the slot in selected locations.

II. The machine according to claim 9, further comprising means slidably carrying the guide bar for longitudinally reciprocating movement along a fixed axis.

12. The machine according to claim 1 I, wherein the means for moving the guide bar includes a lever articulated at one location thereon to the guide bar and disposed at an angle to the axis of movement of the guide bar, and articulated at another location thereon for pivoting about an axis perpendicular to the axis of movement of the guide bar, and cam means so sociated with the lever to pivot it back and forth about its pivot axis.

13. A machine for making textiles of the stitch-through type, comprising a comb-like sinker bar, a comb-like retainer pin bar, the sinker bar and the retainer pin bar defining an elongated space for fabric formation between them, means for delivering a flexible substrate to said space for fabric formation, a row of sharp-pointed needles and a row of thread guides co-acting with the needles for stitching a plurality of warpw'me loop chains, the needles being adapted to pierce through the substrate and being moved in reciprocating mo tion back and forth through said space for fabric formation, and a design element delivery mechanism for feeding conjointly with and in adjacent relation to the substrate a plurality of generally warpwise design elements to said space to be united by the loop-chains with the substrate, the delivery mechanism including a plurality of yarn guide bars mounted substantially parallel to the row of needles for sliding movement along axes parallel to the row of stitch-forming elements, guide means carried by the guide bars for guiding the design elements to said space for fabric formation, and shifting means for controllably moving each of said guide bars back and forth substantially parallel to the row of needles to cause the design element to move within said space for fabric formation back and forth past a plurality of die needles, the shifting means including a lever articulated at one location thereon to the associated guide bar and disposed at an angle to the axis of movement of the guide bar and articulated at another location thereon for pivoting about an axis perpendicular to the axis of movement of the associated guide bar, and cam means associated with the lever to pivot it back and forth about its pivot axis.

14. A machine according to claim 13, wherein there is a cam means associated with each lever to move each associated bar back and forth independently of any other bar.

# k i l l 

1. A method of making fabric on a stitch-through machine of the type having a comb-like sinker bar, a comb-like retainer pin bar, the sinker bar and the retainer pin bar defining an elongated space for fabric formation between them, a row of sharp-pointed needles and a row of thread guides co-acting with the needles for forming a plurality of warpwise loop chains, the needles being movable in reciprocating motion through said space, comprising the steps of: delivering a flexible substrate to said space for fabric formation, delivering conjointly with and in adjacent relation to the substrate a multiplicity of spaced-apart design elements to said space for fabric formation, guiding the design elements back and forth substantially parallel to the row of needles to cause each design element to move within said space back and forth past a plurality of the needles, and forming a plurality of loop chains to unite the substrate and design elements into a composite fabric in which the loop chains pierce the substrate and the design elements at a substantial number of random points.
 2. The method according to claim 1 wherein the design elements are guided back and forth in reciprocating motion at constant velocity, thereby forming a pattern of design elements on the fabric in which substantial lengths of each design element extend diagonally, relative to the warp direction, along straight lines.
 3. The method according to claim 1 wherein the design elements are guided back and forth in reciprocating motion at a varying velocity, thereby forming a pattern of design elements on the fabric in which portions of the design elements of substantial length curve sub-stantially uniformly back and forth.
 4. The method according to claim 1 wherein two groups of design elements are delivered and guided back and forth independently of each other into the space for fabric formation.
 5. The method according to claim 4 wherein one group of design elements is guided back and forth in opposed and phased relation to the other group of design elements.
 6. A machine for making textiles of the stitch-through type comprising a comb-like sinker bar, a comb-like retainer pen bar, each of said bars having teeth and spaces between the teeth, and the sinker bar and the retainer pin bar defining an elongated space for fabric formation between them, means for delivering a flexible substrate to said space for fabric formation, one row only of sharp-pointed needles and a row of thread guides co-acting with the needles for stitching a plurality of warp-wise loop chains, the needles being positioned and mounted for reciprocating motion axially thereof back and forth transversely through said space for fabric formation to pierce through the substrate and a plurality of generally warpwise design elements as such substrate and elements are conducted through said space, the needles passing through the spaces between the teeth of the sinker bar and retainer bar upon such reciprocaTing motion, and a design element delivery mechanism for feeding conjointly with and in adjacent relation to the substrate said plurality of generally warpwise design elements to said space to be united by the loop chains with the substrate, the delivery mechanism including at least one yarn guide bar positioned substantially parallel to the row of needles and having guide means thereon for guiding the design elements to said space for fabric formation, and means for controllably moving the guide bar back and forth substantially parallel to the row of needles to cause the design elements to move within said space for fabric formation back and forth past a plurality of the needles.
 7. The machine according to claim 6, wherein the delivery mechanism is positioned to deliver the design elements to the space for fabric formation between the substrate and the retainer pin bar.
 8. The machine according to claim 6, wherein the guide means includes guide tubes carried by the guide bar, the guide bar being remote from the needles and the guide tubes extending from the guide bar to locations in proximity to the space for fabric formation.
 9. The machine according to claim 6, wherein the guide means are guide holes extending through the guide bar.
 10. The machine according to claim 7, wherein the guide bar includes a longitudinally extending slot, and the guide holes are defined by removable elements transecting the slot in selected locations.
 11. The machine according to claim 9, further comprising means slidably carrying the guide bar for longitudinally reciprocating movement along a fixed axis.
 12. The machine according to claim 11, wherein the means for moving the guide bar includes a lever articulated at one location thereon to the guide bar and disposed at an angle to the axis of movement of the guide bar, and articulated at another location thereon for pivoting about an axis perpendicular to the axis of movement of the guide bar, and cam means associated with the lever to pivot it back and forth about its pivot axis.
 13. A machine for making textiles of the stitch-through type, comprising a comb-like sinker bar, a comb-like retainer pin bar, the sinker bar and the retainer pin bar defining an elongated space for fabric formation between them, means for delivering a flexible substrate to said space for fabric formation, a row of sharp-pointed needles and a row of thread guides co-acting with the needles for stitching a plurality of warpwise loop chains, the needles being adapted to pierce through the substrate and being moved in reciprocating motion back and forth through said space for fabric formation, and a design element delivery mechanism for feeding conjointly with and in adjacent relation to the substrate a plurality of generally warpwise design elements to said space to be united by the loop-chains with the substrate, the delivery mechanism including a plurality of yarn guide bars mounted substantially parallel to the row of needles for sliding movement along axes parallel to the row of stitch-forming elements, guide means carried by the guide bars for guiding the design elements to said space for fabric formation, and shifting means for controllably moving each of said guide bars back and forth substantially parallel to the row of needles to cause the design elements to move within said space for fabric formation back and forth past a plurality of the needles, the shifting means including a lever articulated at one location thereon to the associated guide bar and disposed at an angle to the axis of movement of the guide bar and articulated at another location thereon for pivoting about an axis perpendicular to the axis of movement of the associated guide bar, and cam means associated with the lever to pivot it back and forth about its pivot axis.
 14. A machine according to claim 13, wherein there is a cam means associated with each lever to move each associated bar back and forth independently of any other bar. 